If you need a kennel for your dog and live in a tiny apartment you may not be willing to sacrifice the space for an ugly black wire mesh box. If your dog is under 40 lbs you can easily convert an Ikea Hol storage bench into a dog crate by attaching one end with a set of hinges instead of using the standard assembly instructions.

Ikea modification weblog Ikea Hackers also points out that when the door is closed the pet crate looks just like a coffee table bench. You can also stain or paint the bench to match your decor.